Adaptations are taking over Hollywood. While comic books seem to be the latest thing to be inspiring movies, for a long time novels have been one of the primary sources of film screenplays, reaching back for decades.
There’s so many incredible novels that are yet to be adapted, but also an unlimited amount of excellent films that found their origins from the pages of a classic book. Here are 10 of the best on-screen adaptations of novels that we’ve seen!
WAR HORSE
The classic book has been depicted on stage and on film. Both adaptations of the novel are truly inspiring and show the heartbreaking story of a stallion who takes a long journey through war-torn lands during the First World War.
The Spielberg directed film came into contention for a number of Oscars due to its fantastic editing, cinematography and just for being a fantastic piece of movie-making. it’s a powerful tale and one everyone should experience at least once in their life.
SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
It’s fair to say that this is not only one of the best-adapted films from a book ever, but also simply one of the best pieces of cinema of all time. The performances are outstanding, the direction is phenomenal and it’s truly a remarkable story.
A man sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit, finding a way to make a home from this hell while always looking to escape. It’s managed to take the book and give it a whole new life, becoming one of the few films that may transcend the source material.
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
The Cold War is an incredibly storied piece of history. It makes for some truly brilliant cinematic experiences due to the tension that the time period creates. This kind of atmosphere always lends itself to an extremely compelling thriller.
This adaptation of the famous work by John Le Carre sees Gary Oldman suit up as an MI6 spy looking for a Soviet mole within the organization. What’s most compelling about this film is the amazing cast that has been assembled for the classic.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
Stanley Kubrick is, of course, a master of the cinema. He has a way with words that is unparalleled, producing an incredibly memorable screenplay from the original Anthony Burgess novel. Not only this, but his directorial skill is legendary.
There’s something deeply disturbing about this adaptation but that’s why it captures the essence of the book so brilliantly. There’s no film anywhere else quite like this and the political themes and cinematography have both stood the test of time.
LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY
Tolkien’s work has gone down in history as some of the best fantasy novels of all time. They are transformative to the fantasy genre but almost unadaptable until modern technology allowed for huge leaps forward in terms of cinematic storytelling.
Peter Jackson took this extensive trilogy of books and managed to create three brilliant films that only get better as you go along. From the casting and performances to the incredible visual effects, the Oscar-winning series is still at the forefront of the genre.
HARRY POTTER SERIES
JK Rowling is the second author to completely reinvent the fantasy genre. Her work on this series took the world by storm and inspired a new generation of kids to become avid readers for the rest of their lives. The film series did something we’ve never seen.
They took three young actors and have the films grow as they did. Many kids spent the better part of their childhoods with these characters and matured alongside them. The quality of the films is impressive and the film language used has not been simplified.
OLIVER TWIST
This Dickens novel has been adapted to many times, in both musical and dramatic forms that it’s difficult to keep track of all the various variations. However, the best version of the novel has to be the musical iteration from 1968.
The portrayal of the characters couldn’t be any more accurate, the songs are a lot of fun and there’s a really ominous vibe surrounding Bill Sykes that perfectly foreshadows his later actions. It can be viewed by any age at any time and still stands up today.
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO
This 1965 epic manages to convey the novel in an amazing way, although the 3 hours and 20 minute run time certainly makes this a long viewing session. Regardless, the novel lives on through this classic retelling of the story.
This is a piece of cinema that depicts the Russian Civil War, a time period not often touched upon in the mainstream film. The issues associated with Revolution and the political consequences of the era are portrayed through a very personal story of love.
1984
One of the most politically significant novels of our time has made such an impact on culture that simple aspects such as Room 101 or Big Brother still remain in our general vocabulary today. It’s a groundbreaking piece of writing for sure.
However, it also inspired many different film and radio adaptations, one of which is that of the 1984 version. Starring John Hurt, this was a performance unlike any other on this list, with the bleak dystopia accurately portrayed to us.
LES MISERABLES
So many novels have been adapted into musicals which then inspire movies. This is an example of this, with a couple of different films interpreting both the novel and the musical and various ways. The most modern version of this is amazing.
However, we should not discount those of the past that have attempted such an ambitious tale. The fact is, there’s a variety of standouts, but the 2012 version is probably the standout just due to the scope of the movie and how much it managed to achieve.
